Reykjavik, Iceland Trip Part 1

We left from Ontario Airport.  Beautiful blue skies and 84 degrees projected for today!

Eddie coming back after parking the car.

We arrived in Reykjavik around 6 am their time.  We were met and bussed to the city and our hotel.

The Plaza Center Hotel.   A very nice place to stay. 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g189970-d587298-Reviews-Center_Hotel_Plaza-Reykjavik.html

This was about 1 in the afternoon.  It was very cold, but we did get to see the sun.  

Reminds me of going to NYC in Feb. for the Garden.   The wind is what makes it so cold.

First night out, one of our hosts favorite bars.

The food was very good.  Not to crazy about the whale and puffin served raw, but the fish au gratin and dessert was fabulous.   Very good wine as well. 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g189970-d944064-Reviews-3_Frakkar_Hja_Ulfari-Reykjavik.html

After dinner we were treated to a welcome party by Icelandic Water.  

Eddie and Terry enjoying the party.

One of the ice sculptures.

Golden Circle Tour

First stop Pingvellir

Pingvellir lies within a belt of volcanic activity and the junction of the American and Eurasian tectonic plates. 

I loved the way the grass just grows over the walls of volcanic rock.

Oh it was so cold and the wind chill was aching to say the least.

A beautiful view of the volcano that erupted a while back that caused so many problems for airplane flights coming from Europe.  The steam in the distance is a hot spring.  Also, you cannot see, but a glaciar is on the horizon as well.   I could see it with the naked eye but my camera was unable to pick it up.   This is also Pingvellir Lake, the largest natural lake in Iceland.

More on this place at:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%9Eingvellir

Gullfoss

We thought it was cold in Pingvellir, well by the time we got to Gullfoss waterfall I decided to buy a wool hat.   The wind blew me off my feet while trying to take photos.   We ate here and was served lamb stew.  It was actually pretty good, the veggies were delicious as well as the bread and butter.   For dessert we had chocolate cake.   Since neither Eddie or I eat lamb it was a little bit hard to get down the meat.   So a lot was left in the bowls.  

After eating lunch we hiked down to one of the most beautiful sights in Iceland.   Gullfoss Waterfall is one of Iceland's most famous waterfall.    http://www.vulkaner.no/n/gullfoss/egullfoss.html  I would love to paint this someday, maybe summer time.   :-)

Geysir

Geysir, sometimes known as the great Geysir has been around for over 10,000 years.   80 to 100 degrees.  It was so amazing watching it erupt every 8 minutes that we must have watched it 10 times before getting tired.   Each time everyone screamed as it went off.   It was fun to watch the procession.  I did get a few photos of it, hope you can imagine the thrust when the water blows out of the hole.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geysir

Rivers are plentiful all over Iceland. 

Icelandic Horse.  On the way back to Reykjavik we stopped by to visit some of the Icelandic Horses.   The owners of this farm were happy to share their history and their enthusiasm for this beautiful horse.  

They were also happy to share rotten shark, dried fish and butter with crackers and moonshine.   The moonshine was good, could not get myself to eat the other.   The smell alone of the rotten shark made me ill.   Because of long winters they have plenty of this on hand, just in case they cannot get out to the market. 

This cute little farm dog was such a joy, he was so happy and he did love the rotten shark....

OK, as much as everyone tried, we just were not that taken with the offerings.

We were taken with the beautiful horses.  So sweet and just wanted you to keep petting them

And this one, wanted to give me a kiss...... I loved them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icelandic_horse

Back to Reykjavik for a fabulous dinner of fish and squid with cream and berry dessert  and a Pub Crawl on Halloween night.   Oh my!  I think we saw just about everything imaginable.......

Looking down at the dance floor.

Eddie and Stephanie were amused by this pirate.   He wanted Eddies moustache.   I think he was more taken with Eddie than Eddie was he.

Our hosts Christian and KK from Icelandic Water.

The lobby bar at our hotel.

Hope you have enjoyed the photos, tomorrow I will put up some more.  

Until next time, PLEASE ENJOY THE ART!   Terry d. Chacon

2012 Calendars

Now available my 2012  calendars.   Above is the Plein Air series of paintings.  Some of my most favorite from the past year.   Below is my Doggie series of paintings from the past year. 

Each page of the calendar (heavy gloss card stock) can be individually framed.   Each image measures approximately 9 x 11.  

Calendars are $30.00 plus sales tax and shipping.  Please contact me at shacone@aol.com to purchase your calendars.   I will email you an invoice through Paypal.com which takes Visa and Mastercard.    You can also pay with check.  

These multi functional calendars  make great Christmas gifts for friends and family.  

Until next time, PLEASE ENJOY THE ART!  Terry d. Chacon

Also available for great Christmas gifts is my new book.   "The Beauty of a Plein Air Painter".   

Order through Burb:   http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2452673  Rave reviews from those who have ordered and received the book.  

PASS Artist Association Art Demonstration 2011

"The Grand Canyon"  Art demo by Terry d. Chacon  12 x 16 oil painting on canvas board.

On Thursday Oct. 6, I was asked once again to give an art demonstration for the PASS Artist Association in Beaumont, Ca.    This is the 3rd time I have had the pleasure of demonstrating my approach to plein air painting to this group and it was another full house.   I was excited to share with them my recent experience of painting the Grand Canyon National Park a few weeks ago, on my way to Ohio for the Afghan Hound Club of America 75th National Specialty.  

Terry with a couple of her recent paintings painted on location at the Grand Canyon National Park.

In sharing with the group about my experience, I wanted to show them the 2 paintings I had completed on location.   I took a photo of the Grand Canyon in late afternoon and used my experience of painting these two paintings, the reference photo and the feeling that I had when actually painting at the Grand Canyon just weeks before.  It was amazing the excitement I still have when thinking about my experience and how much I had remembered about painting there.

I had sketched on a 12 x 16 panel my large shapes to begin the painting in my studio to save on time during the demo.   I thought I would have at least 2 hours to complete the painting, but I actually only had 1 1/2 hours or less once I was able to get started.   Since I normally work small on location (9 x 12 the largest), I was really worried as to how much I could actually complete in the 1 1/2 hour time slot.  

Starting the painting I put a layer of color on each mass/shape.   I am sure the audience was wondering how in the world my finished paintings looked the way they did, with this first step.   I assured them to sit tight and they would see.   They all laughed and were very patient as I painted away.

Putting the second layer of paint on each of the masses paying strict attention to values whether the mass was brighter, duller, lighter, darker than the other masses. 

The 3rd layer of paint.

Now the painting is starting to come together with the 4th layer of paint.   I almost finished the painting, but when I got home I completed the painting in my studio, which is what you see below.

I am in love with painting the Grand Canyon.  I will take this painting and the other 2 paintings as reference and complete a huge painting in my studio.  

Another little tidbit about this painting and experience.  While painting at the Grand Canyon I was amazed at how many people would actually walk out to the edge.   The white flagstone cliff in the foreground bottom left of the painting, there were actually people who would walk to the edge and have photos taken.   It made me sick to my stomach to think they could go right over the edge.   And at this point, you had to walk around the fence rails to get down to this point.   And they did, one person after another.  I stood there painting and shook my head.    

I want to thank the PASS Artist Association for asking me to once again share my passion with them.   They are a wonderful group of artists and I hope to see some of them out painting on location in the near future. 

Thank you to Clidene Roper for taking the photos and to Bea Dimatteo for contacting me to do the demo. 

Until next time, Please ENJOY THE ART!   Terry d. Chacon

AHCA 75th National Specialty Trip

 The Grand Canyon



                                 "View from the Village" 9 x 12 oil on canvas by Terry d. Chacon

A longtime dream of mine has come true. I have always wanted to paint the Grand Canyon. On our way to Ohio we took a slight detour through Northern Arizona. We left very early on Monday morning from my house so I would have plenty of afternoon light to do a painting or two.

As we approached the entrance we found that we were not the only one's excited about spending the day at the Grand Canyon.  And very few people spoke English. Here is a link with info on the Grand Canyon.   Amazing the amount of people that visit yearly and the amount of money they take in.  One problem we had was there were no signs on the road that matched the map.   So we probably missed a few places we would have liked to stop and view.    http://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm

Here is the view that I painted.   Amazing how the light changed so quickly.  As the afternoon light changed so did the shadows.  

Oh my, the dogs breath was taken away as they looked into the canyon.

 Apache and Abbe enjoying the view.

"Grand View"  8 x 10 oil on canvas board by Terry d. Chacon.

 

After finishing my first painting and looking for another place to paint we came upon this beautiful view of the canyon.  It was late afternoon and most everything was in shadow except the tops of some of the cliffs.  You could see for miles and miles as you looked down the canyon.   There were so many mountain ranges it was amazing.  

 

Terry painting the Grand Canyon late afternoon.  

This was our last stop.  I could not resist having a photo moment with Abbe and the dogs with the brilliant back drop of the Grand Canyon.    This is by the Tower.   Since so many of the people were speaking a different language I was afraid to ask anyone to take our photo.   Well luck would have it a man standing nearby was from the midwest and said he would be happy to take a photo of us.   What a great job he did.  

After an afternoon at the Grand Canyon we headed to Flagstaff to stay with one of my good friends from High School.   After a great dinner she prepared for us we set around and talked old stories and were off to bed.  

Apache relaxing at Elaine's in Flagstaff, Az....

The next morning we got up early, took the dogs on a nice long walk with Elaine and her dog.  What a way to stir up a neighborhood in the morning.  Everyone was coming out to look at the Afghans, you would have thought a circus had come to town.  

Elaine and her cute little Cairn Terrier.....who was so gracious with the invasion of the Afghan Hounds.

Our next stop Winslow, Az.

Eddie and I left Winslow 24 years ago and have been back to visit a few times when his family still lived there.   Now that everyone has moved away we don't go very often.   I had heard about all of the improvements and the Standing on the Corner, so I wanted to stop and have my photo taken with the dogs at this very famous spot.  Remember the Eagle's song, "Take it Easy" with the lyrics "Standing on the Corner in Winslow, Az.," well Winslow has taken this to a new level.   They now have an event in Sept. which happened to be the weekend after we were there.   People come from all over to attend.    Here is a sight about the event and the famous corner.  http://www.standinonthecorner.com/   and here are my doggies and me.  I love the flatbed Ford in the mural behind us. 

I love the way the dogs are looking up at the statue.....

Another favorite spot for tourist is the La Posada Hotel.   Built in 1929 is one of America's treasures.  Another tidbit about this hotel is that Eddie's grandfather used to be the gardener there for many years back in the 1940's and after.    If you ever go to Winslow, be sure to stop by and if you have time, stay the night, I hear the restaurant is fabulous as well as the accommodations.  http://www.laposada.org/

Our next stop was Taos, New Mexico.

Abbe and Apache at Doc Martin's Restaurant.  

OK, this was a disappointment to me.   I have heard so much about Taos and the art community, galleries etc.   I kept thinking I must be in the wrong spot and maybe I was, but one would have thought downtown Taos was the place to go.   I looked and looked for a place to paint around the outskirts of town and nothing grabbed me.  Maybe because a friend warned me that you have to be very careful where you paint as the locals don't like you painting their land so you need to know exactly where to go.  This would be a big turn off for anyone.     We decided to spend the afternoon and evening downtown, looking at boutiques and galleries. 

Abbe and her new hat.   I had to get Sally away from this store front, she thought the sweaters on the chair were fair game and kept taking them off to play with them.   Not the thing to do......

Terry, Sally and Mijo, downtown Taos.

I met some nice gallery owners who gave me some ideas of where to go the next morning to paint.   I was excited.   We did eat at a fabulous restaurant named Antonio's also suggested by one of the gallery owners.  Some of the best tacos I have ever had.  The meat was superb, however, the margarita's were not.   Then I was told that they are only beer and wine.   Guess I should have asked if they had a full bar.    http://antoniosoftaos.com/index2.html  However, the food was very good.   

We got up early the next morning went to a couple of the places that were recommended to paint and decided we would head on to Denver.  :-( 

In Denver we stayed at Shylo Ranch and I painted this painting for them of their view of the Rockies.  

"The Rockies"  9 x 12 oil on canvas by Terry d. Chacon

Next stop St. Louis, Missouri

Well we thought we would stop at the famous arch and take some photos of the dogs.   We got off the free way and got into a major traffic jam.  Not only were they having a NFL game, but also the taste of St. Louis.   We tried to park in a parking space and for some reason the lady started yelling at us and we decided at the point and time it was time to leave.   I took a couple photos of the arch from the car. 

The little speck in the middle of the arch was a small plane.  So you can see how large it it.  Here is some more info, if you are in town.    http://www.slfp.com/View-of-Arch.html

Our next stop was the Afghan Hound Club of America Nationals.  My next blog will have details and photos of the event. 

Until Next time, PLEASE ENJOY THE ART!   Terry d. Chacon

Be sure to check out my new book   "The Beauty of a Plein Air Painter" by Terry d. Chacon.  Now available at:  http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2452673

The Beauty of a Plein Air Painter (Summer of 2011)

My first book.  8 x 10 landscape.   I spent the summer of 2011 painting as many coastal and waterways of California that time would allow.   This book is a compilation of these paintings and a fews other of my favorites.   Most of the paintings are available at Village Frame and Gallery in Montecito, Ca. or through me.   You can contact me for details at shacone@aol.com  

Please let me know your thoughts on the new book, I plan to do more in the future.   A dog portrait one for sure.    If you click on the link below the book, you can purchase a copy of the book either in hardback, hardback with dust cover or paperback.  A perfect addition to any plein air collection.  I received my first copy of this book and it brought me to tears.  For those of you who have ordered I thank you, and I look forward to hearing what you think.   

The Beauty of a Plein Air Painter(Summer of 2011) by Terry d. Chacon |

Until next time, PLEASE ENJOY THE ART!  Terry d. Chacon